I’ve recently used the Pentax k-x a bit more to test out the in camera HDR feature.  At first I was under whelmed, but like usual, I messed with settings on my own until I got results I’m happy with.  Maybe not elated with, but happy/satisfied.  First I’ll post a few images, then I’ll explain how I tweaked camera settings to get to a warm, happy place.  Again, these shots were not single frame captures, they utilized the Pentax k-x merge to HDR (in camera) feature and then I tweaked them quickly in post. (They were all taken with the Pentax K-x “kit” lens)

I initially discussed the Pentax k-x some time ago and you can see my comments and test shots from that post: http://hdriblog.com/pentax-k-x-initial-test/

I still do not like the results from using the “HDR Strong” which is also HDR 2 under the two in camera HDR settings.  ”HDR Standard” which is also HDR 1 under the menu settings is less dramatic and the following workflow is what I used to get the image results above.

If you’ve never tried this k-x setting you need to do a few things to your camera settings…

1. Press the MENU button to go into the Menu settings and change file format to JPEG and press the menu button again to get back to the typical LCD settings.

2. Then press the INFO button which is just above the Menu button. On the top line over to the right four squares is the menu option “HDR OFF“.  You can change this option two ways.  You can highlight that option and then use the scroll wheel with your thumb moving it to the right to flip to HDR 1, then HDR 2  –OR– you can highlight HDR OFF and press the OK button and then a screen pops up with the three options and just select the one you want and hit OK again.  Obviously, the fastest way to do this is the first way I described.  Highlight HDR OFF and then use the scroll wheel to change it to HDR 1 or HDR 2.  You’ll see shortly why that scroll wheel is the better option.

Each of the images above are a combination of two captures that I brought into photoshop.  Those two captures which were shot from the EXACT same location on a tri-pod were taken by….

1. First taking a shot using the “HDR-1″ setting (also called HDR Standard).
2. Press and hold the shutter so that it takes the 3 consecutive shots (it is auto bracketing and will then immediately process the three shots over the next 10-12 seconds).
3. Then hit the INFO button & scroll the wheel to the right once to select “HDR-2″ (also called HDR Strong) and again press/hold the shutter to fire off the second bracket.

Now here’s the key… Before taking each exposure I forced the exposure compensation to at LEAST +1EV for each of the above outside shots and adjusted the interior shots up by almost +2EV.  That can be changed by using your right index finger and holding down the button just to the left of the shutter then use your right thumb to scroll the wheel to the right to increase the EV number.  Why do this? …

.. because I found if you fire off the camera when in either of the two HDR modes with exposure compensation set at ZERO, the merge to HDR and in camera tonemapping seems to over crush the highlights and you end up with very “dirty” mid tones and darker shadows than you would want ideally.

The camera is of course firing off three images. One under exposed, one middle, one over exposed.  It then merges those 3 bracketed shots to HDR in-camera, it then processes and tonemaps the HDR and saves the result as a JPEG.  You can’t get anything but a JPEG as a final file (unfortunately).

When I got back from shooting, I would then open the first shot (HDR 1 / HDR Standard) in photoshop.  Then FILE>PLACE the second image  (HDR  2 / HDR Strong) over top of the first image. I then drop the opacity of the top layer (HDR Strong) to about 30% as a starting point and then change its blend mode in the layers palette to either OVERLAY or SOFT LIGHT.  Then I just adjust opacity of that layer up or down to get the feel of the image to a satisfying level.  Save and export.

You may find that you like the HDR Strong layer better than the HDR Standard (your call and whatever floats your boat).  If so, simply reverse the layers so that the bottom layer is HDR Strong image and with the standard NORMAL blend mode and then have the top level be the HDR Standard image and change its opacity and blend mode as described above.

GOTCHAS - If you moved the camera slightly when you switched the camera menu settings between shots, you may need to use Photoshop’s align feature.  You click the bottom layer and shift select the other layer so they are both selected.  Then from the file menu EDIT>AUTO ALIGN LAYERS to have photoshop align the pixels.

UPSIDE:
You don’t need to do any MERGE to HDR and tonemapping because the Pentax k-x HDR Mode is doing that for you.

DOWNSIDE:
Fast moving objects make this two pronged approach a challenge and works best with static scenes. You need to use a tri-pod for best results. The time the k-x takes to process each shot can slow you down when shooting like this. You need a program that utilizes blend modes like Photoshop or a free application like GIMP (which is an open source, photoshop “like” app).

A Canon HDR Photographer’s Story is a blog post by Brian Matiash where he reviews the Promote Control from the Canon shooter’s perspective.  Good review.

http://brianmatiash.com/blog/2010/03/04/gear-review-the-promote-control-a-canon-hdr-photographers-story/

He is also an editor over at HDR Spotting

HDR Timelapse is only supported in a fully automatic way using the most expensive cameras. They allow you to “Set and Forget” so you can leave it on a tri-pod to capture away. Some cameras have timelapse, but can not combine both timelapse along with capturing brackets for HDR.  Automated HDR Timelapse is something that exists in the semi-pro to pro cameras that costs many thousands of dollars.  That is about to change.

Promote Control

I covered the Promote Control in detail the summer of 2009 ( BLOG POST HERE ) and even created some getting started videos which are embedded in that blog post.  A link to their website is also listed on that blog post if you want to view which cameras are supported.

The Promote Control allows extended HDR capture with cameras that both don’t have a HDR mode or a limited HDR mode (such as 3AEB).  The Promote Control also has a separate Timelapse feature as well, but you couldn’t use both HDR Mode and Timelapse Mode at the same time.  Soon you will be able to do just that.  The Promote Control is being worked on (the firmware specifically) to allow HDR Timelapse.

Because the Promote Control connects via USB, this means cameras that only cost hundreds will be able to do what pro bodies that cost thousands can do.  Automated HDR TImelapse capture. The developer has indicated it is now at the top of the cue for the next firmware update!!!

HDR PhotoStudio™ Review will have to wait ’til another day sadly.

Despite having 12 gigs of ram, beefy graphics card, etc., etc. I unfortunately fell just shy of system specs to run HDR PhotoStudio because it requires a minimum of an Intel dual-core 2.5GHz, but my MacPro is only Intel dual-core 2.0GHz so I unfortunately won’t be able to review HDR PhotoStudio™ anytime soon.

Having just bought a Canon 5D mark II and about to purchase the $2500.00 Canon TS-E 17mm f/4 Tilt Shift lens, I don’t have the cash flow to buy a new beefy computer to test out HDR PhotoStudio™.  Bummer.  It looks very promising.

The Pentax K-x arrived today.  I don’t want to ramble on about all the features and such yet because I have not played with it enough to pass judgement on it yet.  I just want to post this three up image of shots I snapped just before a partly cloudy sunset ended here today.  It shows (top to bottom) HDR Capture Mode “Strong”, then HDR Capture Mode “Standard”, then no HDR Mode and just one simple frame.

The image is of one of the public beach access points here.   It has not only rained at this location recently, but one of the natural dune lakes that sits against the beach (100 yards north of the gulf) broke through one of its natural walls (sand) some dark brackish waters spilled onto the beach.  Hence the wet and dirty strip of sand you’ll see.  It is a naturally occurring thing here where some of these lakes sit.  Only Australia has similar dune lakes naturally occurring like we have here along the Emerald Coast of North West Florida.  The lakes are large and beautiful and allow you to canoe vast areas just hundreds of yards from the gulf of mexico.  They run right up against many beach points.

When it rains here, certain dune lakes will sometimes overflow and spill into the gulf itself and salt water and lake waters will flow back and forth and then seal back up again when weather calms down.  Sometimes a lake wall just oozes a little lake water onto the beach area as it did this time.  It happens a few times a year and within a few weeks the powdery white sand covers the darker sand back up again as if it never happened.  This generally occurs in the fall/spring outside of tourist season.  However, we have had unusually horrible weather here the last two weeks with virtually no sun and many rainy days.  The dune lakes have filled up and this particular one spilled over onto this beach.

I say all this because I don’t want you to think those dark areas are an artifact from the HDR mode versions captured (below).  The HDR mode and tonemapping did NOT have to do with this strip of dark sand.  It was the lake overflow.

The images below were simply resized down.  All three are JPEGs right out of camera.  The HDR mode fires off a 3 frame AEB and the final image is a tonemapped JPEG.  I purposely chose a shot that is not something any camera sensor can handle in one shot.  The image on the bottom is one simple frame with no HDR mode.  As you can see, the sun despite being shielded slightly by clouds, still blows out badly and much of the water reflection is also blown out.  The middle image is using the camera’s HDR Mode set to “Standard” and the top image is using the camera’s HDR mode set to “Strong”.  No photoshop or post tweaks.  The saturation differences are a result of the merging (tonemapping) process and I can’t control that.  Although I did have the camera setting set to “standard” for color.  I’ll experiement with “Vibrant” and the like in the future to see variations.

I was in a rush and by mistake I had the camera set to auto white balance (ugh!!!).  So color differences are probably even less scientific between shots given that idiotic oversight.  BTW, this was not a planned shoot… I just rushed down when the cloud cover broke and snapped a few shots.  I shot in Aperture priority mode for each.  The clouds moved of course… the HDR Capture Mode takes 3 shots bracketed and then it takes about 10+ seconds for the camera to merge the shots before you can retake another shot, so there is no way to show you a true comparison with the sky moving as briskly as it was.  The 3 shot burst itself is quick.  The camera sports a 4.7 fps speed, but the merging process takes time.

So what you see below is not bracketed shots taken into post, merged and then tweaked.  These are right out of camera JPEGs, but there is obviously some tone mapping operator doing some work in camera.  The “Strong” is definitely too intense for my commercial work and “Standard” while less intense is borderline workable for what I do… but I’ll wait until I’ve put it through a bunch of tests and interior architectural shoots.

K-x quick test of HDR Capture Mode

Weather is supposed to stay crappy here for almost another week so it may be some time before I get around to getting this camera pushed through a true test run and then posting results.  But I will ASAP.

For instant gratification, the K-x rocks.  No long merge to HDR time in post.  Just shoot and in 10-12 seconds you can see the JPEG and change your settings to reshoot.  Oh, and that reminds me to mention that you can of course use the exposure compensation….

… the Pentax K-x allows for +/- 3.0EV so you can easily control where the base exposure will begin.  And of course I’ll be experimenting with taking multiple HDR captures taken at various +/-EV settings and then use those JPEGs to merge in post to see if anything interesting comes from it or if it is not beneficial.  We’ll see.  Merging tonemapped jpegs?  Can you say “artifacts”?  Probably.  But I just have to do it for the hell of it.

Oh #2… the AEB function allows for a traditional 3 AEB burst at +/-3.0EV.  You can bracket as little as .3 and it goes up by steps of .3 right up to a full +/-3.0 EV like a Canon 7D or Sigma SD14 does (both of them shoot a 3 AEB which can max out at +/-3.0EV).

More to come when weather breaks for the better.